Doctor blade reciprocating mechanism for intaglio printing machines



April 10, 1951 w. F. HUCK ETAL 2,548,217 DOCTOR BLADE RECIPROCATING MECHANISM FOR INTAGLIO PRINTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 3, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS April 10, 1951 w. F. HUCK ETAL 2,548,217

DOCTOR BLADE RECIPROCATING MECHANISM FOR INTAGLIO PRINTING MACHINES Filed 001;. 3, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 6P 56 1. m 7 f q l 1 INVENTORS April 10, 1951 w. F. HUCK AL 2,548,217

DOCTOR BLADE REC CA G MECHANISM FOR INTAGLIO TING MACHINES Filed Oct. 3, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 o /0/ 9.9 Hg 7 /0 /04 ,96

. invention is incor i atenteci Apr. 10,

='NISM FOR INrATG Io PRiNrm William Huck, Fore Mount Vernon, '00., Inc., New York MA.QHINEsv st Hills and Franz Heller; N. Y., assig'nors to R. -He & New York, N; Y.,..a :corporation :of

Application 06 10118,! 3, 1945, Serial No. GZQ IOZ.

3 Claims. (CL 101'157) This invention relates to rotary intaglio printing machines and more particularly to an improved doctor blade mechanism for use with such to the abrasive effect of any impurities present in the ink, maybe avoided, it is customary to reciprocate the doctor blade longitudinally 0f the cylinder, and it isnow found desirable to vary the length of successive :strokes of the blade-in order that the reversal between such s'trokes will not occur-at the same place. Hence, an object of the invention is to provide a new andimproved mechanism for reciprocatingthedoctorblade of an intaglio printing machine, which mechanism will automatically vary the -position at whichthe motion of the blade is reversed at the-end of each stroke.

Another object of the invention is to provide a doctor blade reciprocating mechanism whereby the length of the stroke of-the doctor-blade is alternatelyincreased and decreased automatb cally within a certain rangeandincycles, while the machine is running.

A further object of the invention is to provide a doctor bladereciprocating mechanism having means for alternately increasing and'decreasing the stroke of the blade within a certain range and in cycles, and means for varyingthe range of the cyclic increase and decrease and-the positions where the stroke-is reversed.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following specification:

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a view partly in section of aportion of an intaglio printing machine as seen on the broken line 1-4 of Figure 2; v

Figure 2 is a top view-of the main portions of an intaglio printing machine in which the orated, as seen in the direction of the arrow 2 of "Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the machine'shownin Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view as seen on the line 44 of Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a sectional view showing theparts "seen on the line 5.'-5 of Figure=4 whenglooking in the direction of the arrows;

. cyl der is prov d :Figure '6 diagrammatically depicts somewhat more than onecomplete cycle of variation in the reciprocatorymovementof any chosen point on the doctor blade;

Figure 7 is a sectional view, similar .to .Figure 4, showing a modified :form of :the invention, in which the average length-.ofstroke of the doctor blade .may 'be adjusted; and

.Figure 8 a diagram, similar to Figure. 6, showing'themovement of a chqsenpointontthe doctor blade when itjis controlledby themechanism of Figure 7', and adjustment-has been made to increase. the average length of stroke.

As shown in Figures .1 to 5610f the drawings, asprinting cylinder I 1 .and an impression, cylinder l2 oop rat top t a web W- Th print n with the usual etched print- -in =$ulfface l4 andis rotatablysupported in an ink fountain 15 so the perp iheral surface 14 :picks up ink a portion of whic-his subsequently transferred tothe web W. -Adoctor-blade l6, made of comparatively thin flexible metal, is supported between bars l8 and 19 that .in' turn are supported by arms'lfl, '25 andZ'L ina-manner similar :tojthat shown in U. S.1Patent 2, 292 ,344. 'The .blade 16 is disposed in engagementwith lthe surface i l, of the cylinder II l and removes surplus ink theref o The arms 24 an'd 2-5,..are rotatable on a shaft 31, whereas the arm 2;! is releasably clamped to the shaft which is vjournalefd. at each end in bearing supports 33 and 34 and intermediate'its ends in ia bea n supn r qii. .T b ar ne supp t 1 3,. and, 35 a c'mou ted 'tqs de n, a

on s ro ab e s d at base. I3 ;w c 'in'turn is supported on'stationary ways 3! secured to the machine frame. The bearing supports 3.3,fand 34 areprovided with screwshaving hand wheels38, wherebythe bearing supports may be adjusted transversely of the slide plate "36.

The shaft 3! is adaptedto' beturned manually by'a handle 4 I secured'theretonear the"intermedia'te bearing support 35; and thus the doctor blade l6 can be'moved towardoraway-from the engravedsurfaee "F4; Other-'means for adjusting the pressure and "position {of t he doctor blade 16 against the'surface-Mare not shown in the drawings, but may; be constructedinaccordance with the arrangement disclosed in Patent2;292,344'.

The mechan'ism for jreciprocating the slide doctor-blade I 6,"inolu'desa con- 6| and 6! are covered and continuously changing the 'the doctor blade l6.

' shown, the ratio of the gears bushing 52 is such that the is pivotally Secured to the plate inner race of the ball bearing is secured to an eccentric sleeve 52, that has a thin wall portion 53 and a thick wall portion 54. The bore of the sleeve 52 supports the outer race of a pair of roller bearings 56 and Hand the inner race of the roller bearings is carried on a'crank pin 58 that is eccentrically formed on the end of a vertical shaft 59. The bearings 56 and 51 are held in place by a washer 62 and a screw '63. A spur gear supported on the end of a rotatable shaft 14 that I may be driven in any suitable manner. The gears by a cap 15 that is secured by screws I6, and the worm l3 andworm wheel 12 are enclosed by a cover 11 secured to the housing 68 by screws 18.

- In operation, the mechanism shown in Figures l to 5 'reciprocates the doctor blade l6 in a manner shown diagrammatically in Figure 6. When the shaft I8 (Figure 4) is rotated the worm I3 drives worm wheel 12 and shaft 59, which causes the eccentric crank pin 58 to revolve in a circular path around the axis of the shaft 59. This imparts one component of reciprocatory motion to the connecting rod 46 and the doctor blade l6, and

at the same time the motion of the crank pin 58 causes the teeth of the spur gear 6| to roll on the internal teeth 66 of the gear 61, thus rotating the eccentric sleeve 52 about the crank pin 58. The effect of this action is to alternately increase and decrease the eccentricity of the outer surface of the sleeve 52 with respect to the axis of the shaft 59, thereby imparting a second component of reciprocatory motion to the connecting rod 46 length of stroke of In the preferred embodiment of the invention" driving the eccentric drive shaft 59 makes approximately seven revolutions for every rotation of the eccentric bushing 52 on the crank pin 58 and the two components of motions combine to move the doctor blade in a manner similar to that indicated by the diagram of Figure 6.

A modified form of mechanism for reciprocating the doctor blade I6, is shown in Figure *7. In this form the connecting rod 46", one end of which 36 by the bolt 41', has in its opposite end 48, a bore 49 that sup ports the outer race of a ball bearing 5|. The inner race of the ball bearing 5 I is secured to the outer surface of an eccentric sleeve 52 that has a thin wall portion 53' and a thick wall portion 54'. The bore of the eccentricsleeve 52' forms the outer race for a pair of roller bearings 56 and 51, and the inner races of the roller bearings are formed on a crank pin 58' that is eccentrically formed on a disk BI having a lower machined surface 82. The disk BI is adjustably-clamped to the upper surface 83 of an eccentric head 84 secured to a vertical shaft 59' that corresponds to the shaft 59 shown in Figure 4. The means for on external threads 88 of the eccentric head 84...

Recesses 9I- are provided on the external'periphdescription for an '75 centric bushing 52'.

' I89, III and 94. As the 4 ery of the bushing 86 for engagement by a spanner wrench (not shown) whereby the bushing can be loosened in order to make adjustments to vary the eccentricity of the eccentric crank pin 58 with respect to the shaft 59' and then look them together.

A spur gear 92 is formed integral with the co- The upper end of the crank pin 58' is secured by means of a key 93 to a gear 94 and the extreme upper end of the crank pin 58' is rotatable in a roller bearing 96 that is positioned in a bore 91- of a cap 98. A washer 99 is secured to the crank pin by a screw IM and functions to hold the cap and roller bearing 96 in position. A stub shaft I82 is secured in a second bore I83 in the cap 98, by means of a washer I84 and a' screw I88.- Roller bearings I81 and I88 on the shaft I83, rotatably support an intermediate gear I89 that is in mesh with the gear 92. A second intermediate gear I II is secured to the first intermediate gear I89 and meshes with the gear 94. An extended portion of the cap 98 is provided with an elongated hole I I2 which receives a screw II3 having a washer H4. The screw is threaded into a hole I I5 provided in the connecting rod 46' and prevents the cap 98 from turning but permits it to slide longitudinally of the connecting rod 46.

In operation, the mechanism shown in Figure '7 reciprocates the doctor blade I6 with a short stroke as shown diagrammatically in Figure 6, with a long stroke as shown in Figure 8, or with a stroke of any intermediate length. When the shaft 59' is rotated, the crank pin 58 revolves about the axis of the shaft 59'. The diameter of this circular path can be adjusted by loosening the bushing 86, rotating the disk 8| so that its surface 82 turns with respect to the surface 83 and then tightening the bushing 86. When the shaft 59 is rotated the connecting rod 46 and the doctor blade I6 are reciprocated in a manner similar to that previously described. The eccentric sleeve 52 also rotates as in the form shown in Figure 4; however, the means for rotating the sleeve shown in Figure 7, includes the gears 92, crank pin 58 describes its circular path, it rotates the gear 94 which in turn causes the gears III and I89 to drive the gear 92 and thereby rotate the eccentric sleeve 52'. Rotation of the eccentric sleeve causesa relative motion between the cap 88 and the connecting rod 46', this motion being permitted by the elongated hole I I2.

As in the previously described embodiment, the pin 58' imparts a first component of reciprocating motion to the doctor blade, I6, and at the same time rotation of the eccentric bushing 52' imparts a second component of motion, but by adjusting the position of the disc 8| with respect to the head 84, it is possible to change the eccentricity of the pin 58 and thus to change the length of the first component strokes given to the doctor blade. Thus with the mechanism shown in Figure .7, it is possible to obtain a variable length of stroke ranging from theshort stroke ,of Figure 6 to the long stroke shown in Figure '8.

It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being made to the claims rather than to the foregoing indication of the scope of the invention, :1. I f f 1. if.

What We claim is:

1. In a rotary intaglio printing machine having a printing cylinder and drive therefor, a support for holding a doctor blade against the cylinder, a reciprocable slide for reciprocating the support, and a crank shaft driven by the printing cylinder drive for driving the slide; the combination with the reciprocable slide and crank shaft pin of a connecting rod pivotally connected to the slide at one end, an eccentric sleeve rotatably carried in the other end of the rod and rotatably mounted on the crank pin, and an epicyclic gear train driven by the crank pin and driving the eccentric sleeve, the gear train ratios being such that the eccentric sleeve rotates a fraction of a turn with respect to the crank pin during each stroke thereof, whereby the connecting rod reciprocates the slide between varying limits of reciprocation.

2. The combination according to claim 1, in which the epicyclic gear train comprises an external spur gear fixed to the eccentric sleeve and an internal stationary gear meshing therewith. 3. The combination according to claim 1, in which the epicyclic gear train comprises a driving gear fixed to the crank pin, a driven gear fixed to the eccentric sleeve, and an intermediate gear pair rotatable on a shaft carried by the connecting rod.

WILLIAM F. HUCK. FRANZ HELLER. 

